AVG Digital Protection 2014 Product Launch Event

by Lori Cunningham

 Editor’s Note:  Congratulations to Tina R., Shellie D., and Laurie E.  for each winning their own 3rd Grade Splash Math App from Study Pad.  Thank you to everyone who signed up and helped spread the message.

Earlier this week I attended AVG’s 2014 product Launch about digital protection in New York City.  AVG, known worldwide for their free antivirus software, has been diligently working on a suite of tools to achieve their vision of relieving the frustrations of digital life through the latest technologies in protection, privacy, and performance for computers, tablets, and smartphones.

A Confession

Before I talk more about AVG and their products, I have a confession to make.  Many years ago, I downloaded AVG’s free anti-virus software and it worked well.  But because it was free, I figured AVG was perhaps adding extra software on my machine or that I would begin seeing strange advertisements popping up where there once were none.  I never did, but this practice is common, even expected in free software.

So truthfully, when I was invited to attend AVG’s digital protection launch, I was curious to investigate them further.  Was my theory right?

NYC

I love New York City.  It always amazes me how crowded Times Square is – no matter how late it is.  New York City was the perfect setting for the AVG conference, as well as a convenient location, as AVG executives were flying in from San Francisco, Canada, Israel, the Netherlands, Prague, and a few other places.

Attendees for the conference were also scattered across the world.  Most were journalists, but there were roughly 10 bloggers too.  In total, there were probably around 45 people.

Relaxing after the meeting @wellconnectdmom, @momsreview4you, @chilihead,  and @lauriemccabe

Our Connected Devices 

source: AVG.com

Have you ever counted up the connected devices you have in your home?  Perhaps you started with one PC or Mac.  Now you and your spouse likely have a smartphone, perhaps your teen(s), a tablet, a Nintendo 3DS or PS Vita, and the list goes on.  Today, the average number of connected devices is 3, with many households exceeding that number.  And the devices cross platforms.  Some are PC, some Mac, some Android, others iOS.

Perhaps you have your PC protected with anti-virus, but what about your phones?  tablets?  kids’ devices?

As a society, we have never been so connected to the Internet before.  And our online experiences happen across a multitude of devices.  Perhaps you check your email on your PC in the morning, use your phone during the day, and switch to your tablet at night.  That is a lot of open apps, email’s, and browsers that you likely don’t turn off.

All of these connections put you at more risk in obtaining a virus, encountering malware, and slowing down your devices.  Here are a few eye openers I was unaware of…

Risky Signals

On my Android phone, I always have my WiFi, Bluetooth, and NFC enabled.  I never know when I’ll need it and this helps me avoid having to hunt for the settings to use them.  Besides providing a major drain on my battery, what I didn’t know was that these features can put me at risk for picking up additional viruses.

NFC Pick Pockets

With NFC (Near Field Communications) turned on (on most newer Samsung models), digital pickpocketers can secure valuable information contained in your mobile wallet and more. According to a post by Creditcards.com, there are now “504,000 pieces of mobile malware out there hunting Android devices, all of which use NFC.”  Turning off your NFC when not in use will prevent valuable data leakage.

Be WiFi Weary

Apparently there are sensors placed in public places to pick up your WiFI signal address from your phone as you walk by it.  This information can be used to send your phone information.  I know it’s convenient to have your WiFi always on, especially if you use it for home WiFi calls, but you might want to think twice about it.

Within the next 5 years, another 2 1.2 million people will be coming online as devices and Internet costs are lowered to give people worldwide the opportunity to be online for the first time.   And with the flux of wearable connected devices and sensors coming, there will be an incredible number of open connections on the Internet.  More connections can bring about greater vulnerability in virus and malware protection.

Are You Protected?

But it’s not all about protecting our computers and mobile devices from the Internet.  We are sharing of our lives, more than ever before, freely on the Internet.  People can find information on you easily.  Yes, sites like Facebook offer a number of privacy options, but to understand where to go and what the policies mean to you can be cumbersome.  This puts our identity and privacy at risk.  And what about your kids?  Are they making safe choices with their social websites?

First Day as CEO

Interestingly enough,  Gary Kovacs, AVG’s CEO, came to the product launch with us…on his first day working for AVG.  Wow.  He appeared to be well-versed on their strategy and direction and Kovacs shared with us some of his thoughts of the company and why he joined AVG:

First, having worked in technology for decades, he saw the continuing decline in trust consumers have in computer and mobile digital protection.   He saw that there were many companies out there providing antivirus protection, but no company yet had been able to create a sort of “trust” umbrella to help consumers feel safe.   AVG is the company to build this trust umbrella.

Second, much of the security industry works off of a “scare” mentality where they try to convince consumers to buy their products based on the possible threats of security infringements that could come their way.  AVG doesn’t work this way.  They believe in offering education and tools to empower the consumer to feel secure.

Lastly, Kovac was impressed with the many acquisitions AVG has brought on, keeping the innovators of these companies on board with AVG so they can continue to innovate, with more resources.  A number of these acquisitions like PrivacyFix and PC Tune-Up bring great value to AVG consumers to help them feel more secure, private, while at the same time, cleaning up the performance of their PC.  And some of these great products are offered free to AVG consumers.

Kovacs has stepped into a dream opportunity to work with a company who does things differently, truly focused on seeing things from the consumer’s perspective and working diligently to solve concerns while gaining their trust.

A Mom’s Perspective

I discovered that I was way off base.   AVG is a very reputable company.  AVG started as a free anti-virus to get to their name out there and build their reputation.  The anti-virus software they made available for free download provided much needed digital protection.  If those who downloaded their software wanted more features, a premium version was available.

Today, AVG has more than 155 million users and 44 mobile users and are very profitable.  They continue to create consumer focused digital protection software and apps that help consumers feel safer, have more control, and have computers and devices that are run better.

The enthusiasm I saw in many of the executives presentations and voices as they talked about AVG’s vision was undeniable.  During our day long presentations, I began downloading their software on my Windows 8 ultrabook as well as my Android smartphone.  And today I downloaded PrivacyFix, the free program that helps you ensure you understand how Facebook and others are tracking your or using your information to see ads and products.  It’s free and fascinating.

I can’t wait to tell you about some great apps you’re going to want to download to your phones and tablets to make you more efficient, product, achieve more privacy, and help secure your devices.  Look for an article on this soon.

What are you most concerned with with regards to protecting yourself online?

*  Transportation and lodging were provided by AVG, while attending their 2014 Product launch.  All expressed opinions are my own.  I was not obligated to write about their products.